Preface Official Specs Versions Price Short Review Long Review What's Included Manual and Packaging Build Quality and Durability Size Retention Power User Interface and Operation Modes LED and beam Tint vs... Beamshots, Runtime, etc table. Comparisons Conclusion What I like What I don't like Up Next Notes
Preface
I have reviewed a bunch of Lumintop lights, and really, I’m a fan. The Tool AAA series was good enough that after I got the two review versions, I bought two more myself! This is the Tool AA, which shares the look of the AAA version, and features as well. Like the AAA version, there are a few options for this light. Read on!
Official Specs and Features
Versions
There is a reverse clicky, and twisty tail version of this light. The package I have for review contains both UI options. There are also many colors in this light: Black, red with green cap (seen here), blue with green cap, purple with green cap. The color options seem to be named “Tool AA C-Edition” which I take to mean “Christmas” but I can’t find that verbiage on the product page.
Price
The Tool AA sells for around $20-22. GearBest the Tool AA C-Edition for $21.90 right now.
Short Review
This is a fine little light. One I probably prefer on an AA cell, but I love the option for a 14500 as well. The build is great and the light feels like quality in hand.
Long Review
What’s Included
- Lumintop Tool AA C-Edition
- Twisty tailcap (with magnet) and Reverse Clicky tailcap (both!)
- Spare o-rings (2)
- Lanyard
- Silicone glow diffuser
- Manual and paperwork
Package and Manual
Lumintop strayed from their normal package, because this is intended as a Christmas light. The Lumintop branding is there, with a bit of Merry Christmas imagery. The package is void of specs and features, but a GearBest inventory sticker has been added.
Inside the cardboard package is a plastic flip-top container (good for permanent storage), held closed with two tiny magnets. The light and goods are held in place in foam cutouts.
The manual is ok – I find the table with runtimes and output to be slightly confusing, and I’m not sure the UI is covered completely enough. However, it’s an uncomplicated light.
Build Quality and Disassembly
As stated above, this is a nicely built light. Most Lumintops are, really. The red anodizing on this light is superb. There’s a nice gloss to it. The knurling is diamond pattern but very shallow and not grippy at all.
The light disassembles quite well. The head and tail come off the cell tube, which is reversible. The clicky tailcap has a retaining ring, so the clicky and boot may be accessed and maintained. The emitter end as well, can be unscrewed to reveal an aluminum pill and the emitter, for easy swapping. The magnet on the tailcap is held in with a “retaining spring.”
Size
Officially: 91.5mm long, and 18.5mm wide, weighing 23.5g. The twisty version of this light is a fair amount shorter than the clicky version.
The Tool AA is in line with other AA sized lights I have on hand. A little shorter, even in the longer configuration, actually.
Retention
The Tool AA arrives with a reversible pocket clip installed. Since the tube is reversible, one may switch the direction of the clip without actually removing the clip; just take the head and tail off and swap them (and flip the cell too!).
Also included is a very usual lanyard, colored purple. Does that make it unusual? It connects in a usual way, anyway. With the clicky, the lanyard may attach to the tailcap. With the twisty, the lanyard must attach to the pocket clip, where there’s a hole at the shoulder and mouth for attachment.
Also included (in the twisty cap) is a magnet. It’s quite strong, and also I believe, removable.
Power
The Tool AA is powered by a single cell. It’ll work with NiMH, Li-ion, and Alkaline. I tested with only NiMH and Li-Ion. A runtime may be seen below. The light never really gets hot (or even warm). The runtime with a 14500 is much brighter than the NiMH, but dies very quickly (45m or so).
User Interface and Operation
Two UI options are included with the Tool AA. The clicky is installed in the package, and a twisty cap is included too. They can’t be used at the same time. The clicky is a reverse clicky. For the size of the light, the button is actually quite large, and very accessible.
Lumintop describes the twisty UI to be “twist the head” of the light. But I tend to twist the tail instead; functionally there’s no difference. The knurling doesn’t lend itself to one-hand operation.
The UI is very simple, with only three modes and no strobe nonsense.
Here’s a UI table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | Low |
| On | Half click | Mode advance (LMH) |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off | Tighten | Low |
| On | Loosen/tighten | Mode advance (LMH) |
| On | Loosen | Off |
Modes
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Mode Measured Lux |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | 14500: 550 Alkaline: 110 Ni-MH: 120 |
45m 1h45m 2h55m |
9570 – 2140 |
| Mid | 14500: 95 Alkaline: 25 Ni-MH: 25 |
4h 11h 11h40m |
1550 – 1174 |
| Low | 14500: 8 Alkaline: 7 Ni-MH: 7 |
28h30m 36h25m 30h3om |
183 – 164 |
LED and Beam
The emitter of choice is a Cree XP-L HD. The reflector is smooth, and has a “middle depth” – not shallow, and not super deep. The beam is mostly spot with little spill.
For lack of any better place to put the info, Lumintop also includes this GITD diffuser, which fits snugly over the front of the light.
Tint vs BLF-348
Beamshots, Runtime, and Lux Measurements
| Lumintop Tool AA | ||
|---|---|---|
| Emitter | Cree XP-L HD | |
| Cell | 14500.0 | AA |
| – | Glamour Shots | Beamshots [0.3″, f/8, ISO 100, 5000k] |
| – | Runtime | Chargetime N/A |
| LVP? | Yes | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 550.0 | – |
| Lux (Measured) | 196 lux @ 3.859 m | 51 lux @ 3.407 m |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd | 2918.8 | 592 |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 108.1 | 48.7 |
| Throw (Claimed) (m) | 95.0 | – |
Random Comparisons and Competitive Options….
Double-A lights with an XP-L HD – this isn’t going to be a small list. However, the full package with both UI options (two tailcaps) separate this light. Also, these available colors are quite… unusual. The red is really quite striking!
Conclusion
What I like
- The anodization is catching, and seems high quality
- The UI options are nice
- Multi-chemistry support
What I don’t like
- One probably won’t actually swap between the two UI’s in practice.
- The runtime isn’t regulated, and trails off very quickly on 14500.
Up Next
Most likely I’ll wrap the MecArmy SGN7 by Wednesday, and hopefully the Olight X7R for Friday. I hope to have a thing or two (blog only) in the meantime, too!
Notes
- This light was provided by GearBest for review. I was not paid to write this review.
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.wordpress.com. Please visit there for the best experience!
- Whether or not I have a coupon for this light, I do have a bunch of coupons!! Have a look at my spreadsheet for those coupons. It’s possible to subscribe and get notifications when the sheet is edited!!
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